Pirate Hunt
by Nishoba
Summary: A lone frigate, scouting a deadspace pocket, stumbles upon something he doesn't expect. First fanfic. Please R/R. More chapters to come if people like it. Rated T for later chapters
1. Suprise Attack

In a lonely deadspace pocket filled with asteroid remnants and forgotten prospects, a small ship was fighting for it's life. It's pilot, an eager capsuleer just fresh out of the State Military Academy, was doing everything he had been trained to do. Unfortunately, his enemy seemed to be predicting his every movement, and was steadily chewing his shields away with every shot. The pilot of the Kestrel-class frigate, Jaster Tatsuaki, from inside his fluid filled pod, was all too aware that he wasn't going to last, as his camera drones relayed every grim detail of the conflict he was stuck in. Desperate hails to the attacking ship went unanswered, and his readouts of his ship's status were not looking good. Red flags were popping up on numerous subsystems, and his shield was just about finished.

"What the hell is this guy thinking?" Quickly moving to his intercom system, he sent a message to his crew. "Alright people, we're in a fix. This bastard thinks he can just out and out attack us out of the blue, and think that we'll just sit quietly and take it. Well, if we have to give this guy our lives, let's give him hell before we go!" He could hear his crew's unified shout. Without a second's delay, he brought his weapon systems fully online, and brought the ship hard about, instantly engaging in evasive maneuvers. "All right..." He keyed up his comm system again, and sent a message to his Fire Control Officer. "Target the midsection of the ship, full missile volley." His FCO did everything he asked with all that Jaster had expected of him. Within seconds, the missiles streaked with deadly speed toward the enemy. But there was a problem. Just as his missiles found their mark, the ship was hit hard on its port side. "Damage report!" His Tech Chief relayed a long drawn out list of damaged systems, and a once-over with his camera drones showed that nearly half of his ship had just been mangled and disfigured. All his weapons were down, and he was hovering at only 50% hull strength. At first he thought his engines were gone too, but then his camera drones showed that he was tangled in the silvery energy bands of a stasis web. He had made a crucial error, in that he closed to within effective range of this simple yet efficient weapon. But in closing the range, he finally ID'd his attacker. Out of the shadow of a shattered and fragmented asteroid, loomed the quite noticeable form of Gallente Hyperion-class battleship. What struck him as odd was that the ship didn't register on his sensors. The only reason he had seen it was the trajectory of fire that was coming toward him. The other thing he saw was this ship, although Gallentean in design, had no markings that linked it to the Federation at all. He was pulled from his thoughts by a hail, seemingly coming from nowhere. Quickly he answered it.

"This is Jaster Tatsuaki of the Caldari frigate _Stormwind_......"

He was cut off by a quiet, yet commanding voice. "I am Tsuyoki. I care not who you are, or what your pathetic little tin can of a ship is called. The fact remains, you are a Caldarian, and thus, you must die...." Jaster was struck dumb by this statement. "And why must I die, just because of my heritage?" The reply that came was short. "Because you and the rest of the filth that is your government and people must be purged of this universe." Before he could reply again, he watched, almost as if it was in slow motion, the massive blaster turret that swiveled, fired, and split what remained of his ship in half. His pod barely had time to eject, and as he floated among the debris of his ruined ship, a grim reality dawned upon him. Although he was a capsuleer, an "immortal", he had never actually gone through the process of dying, and then awakening somewhere else. As he saw the blaster fire again, this time directed at his pod, his last thoughts before waking up in a cloning facility to the voice of "Hello, Pilot. How do you feel?" were of his lost crew, ship, and the vengeance he was going to bring to the man in the Hyperion.


	2. Unexpected Suprises

Sovereignty of the Caldari State

Black Rise Region - Aokinen Constellation - Onnamon System

Onnamon I - State War Academy

Jaster awoke, groggy and disoriented, only vaguely aware of the voices that were echoing all around him. The last thing he remembered was was a bright flash of light, a glimpse of his own floating corpse, and then a voice asking him how he felt.

_If they really wanted to know how I feel, then they should have been there, not me....._

"Wake up, Lieutenant" A rough, authoritative voice stated. "You have reports to make, and the Commander wants to speak with you as well."

"Sir, I don't think he's quite ready to..."

"Quiet, Doc. He's been trained to go through the rigors of jumping. He's fine."

Jaster immediately sat bolt upright, narrowly missing the medical instruments overhead. "Sir, I didn't clone jump, I was podded! "

The major, a tall Civire with an unreadable face, was unfazed by this.

"No difference, you still have duties to attend to, and I'll warn you once to mind your tongue when speaking to a superior officer."

It took a supreme amount of willpower to keep from leaping out of the clone vat and tackling the Major, but somehow, Jaster managed a "Yes, sir" and began to climb out. The doctor immediately moved to help him, but Jaster waved him off.

"I'm fine, doc, thanks. But if you would, would you please hand me a uniform, it's rather cold in here."

He shot a contemptuous glance toward the Major, who didn't seem to notice. The doc came back with a uniform, which Jaster hastily put on. Reaching up to brush his hair away, he stopped short. _That's right, clones don't have hair...._Cursing inwardly, he stretched, and moved toward the door, but the Major stopped him midstride.

"And remember Lieutenant, be civil."

Jaster turned to see the slightest bit of a smirk cross the Major's face.

For the next few minutes, Jaster merely wandered around the station, watching the new recruits and wet-behind-the-ears Ensigns running around with some menial task, half the time not even noticing the salutes that were thrown his way. Pausing near one of the hangar viewports, he looked longingly at the impressive ships coming and going, and felt a pang of guilt at losing his own. Sighing, he turned on his heel and walked toward the lift that would take him to the Commander's office.

Walking into the Commander's office, he stopped in front of the desk and snapped a salute. "Lieutenant Jaster Tatsuaki reporting as ordered."

The Commander looked up from her paperwork, and with unsympathetic eyes, stated simply, "You lost your ship."

_She gets to the point without wasting a second, doesn't she....._"Yes Ma'am, I did. I can explain the circumstances...."

The Commander held up her hand. "That won't be necessary. The playback of your memory, and the camera drone we recovered at the scene held more than enough information."

Jaster just stood there. "I'm prepared to recieve my punishment for losing a Navy ship, Ma'am."

The commander looked up, seemingly suprised. "And what makes you think you merit a punishment for fighting admirably against an obviously superior and better armed foe? You fought like we trained you to, and therefore there will be no fallout from this incident. However, I would like your opinion as to how we are to proceed."

Jaster made no effort to hide his shock. "Proceed? Begging the Commander's pardon, but I'm not sure what you're asking."

The Commander studied Jaster with an odd expression on her face. "Well Lieutenant, I'd figured you would want a chance to go and find out just who this "Tsuyoki" is, and his reasons for attacking a Caldari ship out of nowhere."

Jaster was dumbfounded. His CO had just said everything he wanted to hear. A chance at revenge, it sounded too good to be true. "Ma'am, permission to speak freely."

The Commander nodded her approval, and Jaster continued. "What's the catch? I made a vow right before I woke up in that sticky clone vat, that I would get revenge for my lost crew. Now you present me with the opportunity. It just sounds all too good to be true."

The Commander almost looked like she was about to laugh, but didn't. "Your skepticism is understanding." She slid a file across her desk. "Read that."

Jaster scooped up the file, and opened it, eyes widening in immediate recognition of the ship that appeared in the photo. "This is...."

"The ship that destroyed your frigate. Apparently that ship's been a terror to our industrial, shipping, and mining operations. Unfortunately for you, yours was the first military vessel to fall in between it's crosshairs."

Jaster skimmed the file. The ship was clearly Gallentean, but it's weapons and markings were of something different. "Ma'am, this is indeed the ship that attacked me. Where did this information come from?"

"One of our freighters that survived an engagement with that ship. We were able to obtain the name of the pilot, a photo of the ship, and the system it's been known to frequent."

Jaster couldn't believe it. "Ma'am, I am prepared to do what is necessary."

This time the Commander smiled. "I thought you would say that. There is a brand new, fully crewed Rokh parked at berth A12. It's yours. Also, there is a fleet forming outside the station as we speak. It's your new task force. Congratulations, LT. Commander, and good hunting.


	3. Chapter 3

Sovereignty of the Caldari State

Black Rise Region - Aokinen Constellation - Onnamon System

Onnamon I - State War Academy, Docking Berth A12

Jaster couldn't have been in higher spirits, and as he walked toward the hangar deck of the station, he had a very difficult time showing it. The new rank insignia on his collar it seemed had gone to his head, and this time he was very aware of the salutes that were rendered at him. But all of that changed as soon as he spotted the ship he was to take command of.

"You have GOT to be kidding me...!"

The outburst was loud enough that several dock workers turned and looked at him with confused expressions, but quickly resumed their work after they saw the incredulous look on his face. He turned quickly, only to nearly trip over the Major, who stood behind him.

"Why whatever is the problem, Lieutenant? You look as if there's something amiss."

_Of all the people to run into..._"Not a problem so much as a question."

"And that would be?"

"First of all, we're the same rank now, albeit in different branches of military, so I would appreciate you not talking down to me. And second, what the hell is that hulking, half-finished excuse for a target barge doing on my docking berth?"

Jaster and the Major both turned to the viewport to get a full view of the ship. Floating in the middle of the dock, with airlock tunnels extended to it's hatches, was what Jaster thought upon first seeing was a hunk of metal with ragged holes in it. Indeed it was Rokh-class battleship, but it was so damaged and beaten up, he was wondering what was holding it together.

"Well then, Lieutenant-_Commander_, I don't know what you would be referring to. That is your ship, the one that the Commander awarded you. Personally I think you're lucky to have gotten it. If I were in the Commander's shoes you wouldn't have been allowed to pilot a garbage freighter. I fail to see what the issue is."

"The issue is, Major, is that ship looks like it was piloted by a drunk cadet on a joyride through an asteroid field. There is no way, no way in hell, that I can be expected to take THAT against the same ship that shredded my old ship in less than a minute."

The Major once again looked like he was smirking, as he turned on his heel and began walking toward the lift that would take him back to the habitat portion of the station.

"Well that's not for me to worry about. All I do is what the Commander tells me. What you should worry about is getting that ship ready to go. Oh, I would stop by medical again before you depart. God knows with your record you'll be needing a new clone again in no time at all. Happy hunting!"

And with that, the Major stepped aboard the lift, with just a small amount of laughter echoing just as the doors shut. Jaster cursed his luck. First he loses his ship, getting his original body killed in the process, to having his hopes restored with a new promotion and new ship, only to once again have them dashed by finding out that his "new" ship looked like it wouldn't stand a chance against a mining laser. Sighing inwardly, he made his way to the gangway lift that would take him to the airlock tunnels, to inspect his latest command.


End file.
